The Situation
Food delivery platforms are a Faustian bargain: they provide customers but take 28–32% commission on every order. At scale, this destroys profitability. The group had a direct ordering app and website but almost no customers used it — because the platforms were where people discovered restaurants.
The Turning Point
A unit economics model showed that a direct delivery customer (acquired for €8 one-time via a first-order incentive) was worth €180 in annual contribution margin versus €56 from a platform customer at the same frequency.
What We Did — And Why
Google Ads targeted food delivery intent in Paris by cuisine type and arrondissement — queries like 'livraison française 9ème arrondissement' and 'bistro delivery Paris 2ème'. All ads linked directly to the group's ordering site with a first-order 10% discount code. Email and SMS nurture sequences converted first-time direct customers into repeaters. Location extensions showed the nearest restaurant for each search.
Our Approach
- 1.Google Ads targeting 'food delivery Paris' + specific cuisine and arrondissement queries
- 2.Direct ordering incentive: 10% discount code for first direct order vs. platform
- 3.Location-extension campaigns for each of the 6 restaurant locations
The Results
Direct delivery orders grew 180%. Monthly delivery revenue through direct channels tripled. The cost per order acquired was €4.20 versus the average €13.50 in platform commissions per order. The 62% repeat rate of direct customers made the LTV calculation compelling.
In Their Own Words
“Platform dependency is a slow trap. Every direct customer we acquire is one fewer commission payment forever.”